Description

What is intraocular melanoma?

Intraocular melanoma, a rare cancer, is a disease in which cancer (malignant)
cells are found in the part of the eye called the uvea. The uvea includes the iris (the
colored part of the eye), the ciliary body (a muscle in the eye), and the
choroid (a layer of tissue in the back of the eye). The iris opens and closes
to change the amount of light entering the eye. The ciliary body changes the
shape of the lens inside the eye so it can focus. The choroid layer is next to
the retina, the part of the eye that makes a picture.
The uvea contains
cells called melanocytes, which contain color. When these cells become
cancerous, the cancer is called a melanoma.

Intraocular melanoma occurs most often in people who are middle aged. If there is melanoma that starts in the iris, it may look like a dark spot on
the iris. If melanoma is in the ciliary body or the choroid, a person may have
blurry vision or may have no symptoms, and the cancer may grow before it is
noticed. Intraocular melanoma is usually found during a routine eye
examination, when a doctor looks inside the eye with special lights and
instruments.

The chance of recovery (prognosis) depends on the size and cell type of the
cancer, where the cancer is in the eye, and whether the cancer has spread.

Stage Explanation

Stages of intraocular melanoma

Once intraocular melanoma is found (diagnosed), more tests will be done to find
out exactly what kind of tumor the patient has and whether cancercells have
spread to other parts of the body. This is called staging. A doctor needs to
know the stage to plan treatment. Intraocular melanoma is staged based on the
area of the eye where the tumor is found and the size of the tumor.

Iris melanoma

Intraocular melanomas of the iris occur in the front colored part of the eye.
Iris melanomas usually grow slowly and do not usually spread to other parts of
the body.

Treatment Option Overview

How intraocular melanoma is treated

There are treatments for all patients with intraocular melanoma. In some cases
a doctor may watch the patient carefully without treatment until the cancer
begins to grow. When treatment is given, three types of treatment are commonly
used:

Orbital exenteration removes the eye and other tissues within the eye socket.

Radiation therapy uses x-rays or other high-energy rays to kill cancer cells
and shrink tumors. Radiation may come from a machine outside the body
(external-beam radiation therapy) or from putting materials that contain
radiation (radioisotopes) in the area where the cancer cells are found
(internal radiation therapy). In intraocular melanoma, internal radiation may
be put next to the eye using small implants called plaques. Radiation can be
used alone or in combination with surgery.

Laser therapy is a treatment that uses an intensely powerful beam of light to destroy the tumor. The laser may be used with a special dye that is injected into the tumor, causing the laser to heat the dye and kill the tumor. This is called thermotherapy. Photocoagulation is another treatment that uses a laser to destroy the blood vessels that feed the tumor, killing the tumor indirectly.

Treatment by stage

The choice of treatment depends on where the cancer is in the eye, how far it
has spread, and the patient’s general health and age.

Standard treatment may be considered because of its effectiveness in patients
in past studies, or participation in a clinical trial may be considered. Not
all patients are cured with standard therapy and some standard treatments may
have more side effects than are desired. For these reasons, clinical trials
are designed to find the best ways to treat cancer patients and are based on
the most up-to-date information. A large clinical trial is ongoing in many
parts of the country for patients with intraocular melanoma. To learn more
about clinical trials, call the Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER
(1-800-422-6237); TTY at 1-800-332-8615.

Iris Melanoma

If the tumor is small, there are no symptoms, and the tumor is not growing,
treatment may not be needed. If the tumor begins to grow or if there are
symptoms, treatment may be one of the following:

Recurrent Intraocular Melanoma

Treatment will depend on the treatment the patient received before, the
patient’s age and health, where the cancer came back, and how far the cancer
has spread. The patient may want to take part in a clinical trial.

Changes to This Summary (07/14/2005)

The PDQcancer information summaries are reviewed regularly and updated as new information becomes available. This section describes the latest changes made to this summary as of the date above.

Links to the NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms were added to this summary.

To Learn More

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The NCI Web site provides online access to information on cancer, clinical trials, and other Web sites and organizations that offer support and resources for cancer patients and their families. There are also many other places where people can get materials and information about cancer treatment and services. Local hospitals may have information on local and regional agencies that offer information about finances, getting to and from treatment, receiving care at home, and dealing with problems associated with cancer treatment.

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LiveHelp

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About PDQ

PDQ is a comprehensive cancer database available on NCI's Web site.

PDQ is the National Cancer Institute's (NCI's) comprehensive cancer information database. Most of the information contained in PDQ is available online at NCI's Web site. PDQ is provided as a service of the NCI. The NCI is part of the National Institutes of Health, the federal government's focal point for biomedical research.

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The PDQ database contains summaries of the latest published information on cancer prevention, detection, genetics, treatment, supportive care, and complementary and alternative medicine. Most summaries are available in two versions. The health professional versions provide detailed information written in technical language. The patient versions are written in easy-to-understand, nontechnical language. Both versions provide current and accurate cancer information.

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PDQ also contains information on clinical trials.

Before starting treatment, patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial. A clinical trial is a study to answer a scientific question, such as whether one treatment is better than another. Trials are based on past studies and what has been learned in the laboratory. Each trial answers certain scientific questions in order to find new and better ways to help cancer patients. During treatment clinical trials, information is collected about new treatments, the risks involved, and how well they do or do not work. If a clinical trial shows that a new treatment is better than one currently being used, the new treatment may become "standard."

Listings of clinical trials are included in PDQ and are available online at NCI's Web site. Descriptions of the trials are available in health professional and patient versions. Many cancer doctors who take part in clinical trials are also listed in PDQ. For more information, call the Cancer Information Service 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237); TTY at 1-800-332-8615.